Disclaimer: Don't own them now and probably never will.

Chapter 6

Sage sat with his friends and watched as Shimi fought his opponent. He watched as Shimi jumped a sweep and kicked his opponent back. His opponent punched and he grabbed his arm and flipped him over his head in a counter attack. He dodged, attacked, countered, dodged, attacked, countered, and dodged until the break bell rang. "Do you see anything yet?" Ryo asked.

"He has a pattern," Sage replied dryly not taking his eyes off Shimi.

"Ah, so you did figure it out."

"Either that or he is so good that that is all he had to do to beat his opponent."

Ryo was silent for a moment. "I'll be optimistic and say you figured it out," he said turning after the bell to watch the fight.

Shimi charged his opponent and attacked. His opponent dodged and flipped over Shimi. Shimi turned to dodge a palm strike that was aimed for his nose. He dodged it and countered and returned to his previous pattern. The final bell rang and everyone clapped as Shimi was pronounced the winner.

Kento looked over at Sage and saw him staring hard in thought at Shimi. Deciding to break tension he smiled from ear to ear and smacked him on the back. "Getting nervous about the competition I see."

Sage jumped a bit, "You scared the crap out of me! And no I'm not getting nervous."

"I know you've already been told this but lighten up man. You look angry and little constipated." Sage laughed and put his hand over his face. "That's what I wanted to see. Don't make me go to step two," Kento continued.

"It's impossible not to smile when you're around, Kento."

"Good, now keep that up this entire time, and it will go much better for you." Kento finished; he turned and looked at Cye.

Cye looked somewhat cheerier than Sage had, but not much. The only difference between them was Cye was sweating and looked a little flushed. Kento started not to bother him because he looked bad, but he decided and did it anyway. "Now it's your turn," he said as he grabbed him and put him in a head lock.

"Ah, Kento get off me!" Cye barked as he pulled his arm from around his neck, "I have a headache."

Not realizing what he had did he held his breath for a moment. He forgot how playful Kento could be, and how he was always putting him in headlocks.

"Geez, I'm sorry man." Kento replied

'This is going to be harder than I thought,' Cye thought in relief.

A few minutes passed and the next round started. Sage was looking toward the entrance and saw Shimi enter the stadium from the locker room. 'I think I'll go talk to him for a bit. Maybe it'll give me a better sense of who he is,' he thought.

Just as he was about to make his way across Kento and Cye everyone else in their bleacher section stood up and began cheering. Sage tried to look through the rush of heads and waving hands for Shimi, but he was nowhere to be found. He continued to look for him for a couple more seconds before turning back to the current match to find that only thirty seconds were left.

At the sound of the last bell Yulie said, "It looks like you're up next, Sage."

"You ready?" Rowen asked.

"Do you even have to ask," Sage eagerly replied.

"You can't tell he's excited," Rowen said sarcastically watching Sage walk to the arena. "He's practically bouncing with each step."

"Tell me about it; I'd never do something like that," Ryo said.

"You would too! In fact you would probably be worse than Sage!" Rowen shot back.

"You'd practically be leaping at the stage," Cye added with laughter keeping his cough from escaping.

Ryo could only turn away and cross his arms as his face turned red with embarrassment. Everyone's attention quickly drew back to the arena as the starting bell rang. Cheering quickly proceeded from all around as the competitors began fighting.

Sage's opponent charged and attacked with a palm strike; Sage dodged. "It is a pleasure to be facing you Mr. Date," he said charging Sage once again.

Sage stepped to the side and punched his opponent in the side. "Likewise." Sage replied, "But please, call me Sage. I'm too young to be called mister."

Sage dropped to the floor and swept his opponent. He fell on the floor and quickly rolled away from Sage. Sage chuckled a little and said "Don't worry I fight clean. I'll let you get up. Anybody can fight against someone who is on the ground."

"Thanks I'll do the same," his opponent said in a flying kick.

Sage dodged and pushed his opponent's foot sideways throwing his landing off balance. Sage took the opportunity to connect another sweep knocking his opponent on his stomach. He stood once again and charged Sage and faked a punch. Sage reached up to block the punch but soon felt a fist connect with his stomach. He stepped back a step but fell on his butt from a sweep.

He quickly stood up and faced his opponent. Sage charged getting ready to perform a palm strike. He anticipated his opponent would dodge to the right; when he did he turned and thrusted with another palm strike aimed for his lower sternum. It connected and he jumped back and put his hand at the place of impact. Sage executed a flying kick, but his opponent stepped to the side. His opponent countered by grabbing his leg and turning him to the side. Sage, taken off guard, twisted his body and rolled on the ground to absorb the impact the best he could. He succeeded, but in doing so he hurt his right wrist.

He knew it wasn't a serious injury. His wrist would probably stop hurting before the next round started. However, he did know that he would have to use his left hand the remainder of the round. He could use his right arm to block some attacks, but he would have to be careful.

Sage stood up and saw that his opponent was true to his word. He had waited for him to stand before proceeding to attack again. He began to charge and punched for Sage's chest. He spun around and dodged the attack. He ended his spin with a punch to his opponent's side. He stepped to the side, clutching his ribs, surprised by Sage's counter attack.

The minute break bell rang and cheers filled the stadium. Sage turned around and walked to his side for break. He looked to the bleachers and saw his friends standing and cheering for him. He saw Yulie standing with his hands cupped around his mouth yelling, "Yeah! Way to go Sage!"

He couldn't help but smile at them in thanks for their support. He was grateful to have such wonderful friends as them. The ending break bell rang and he turned around and looked at his opponent; he did the same. They both assumed fighting stances and charged each other.

Sage opened with a palm strike that his opponent dodged. He was met with a high kick, but caught it. Instead of using his opponent's leg to flip him over he put his foot behind his opponent and tripped him. He fell flat on his back, and Sage let go of his leg. Seeing an opening his opponent began to close his legs together like scissors in an attempt to trip Sage. Seeing this Sage did a one handed back flip out of the way.

His opponent quickly stood up and charged performing a kick to Sage's chest. Sage jumped back and his opponent followed with a palm strike. Sage knew that he would get hit unless he did something. He grabbed his opponents hand dropped to the ground. Rolling onto his back he placed his feet on his opponent's stomach and tossed him overhead out of the ring earning him extra points.

Soon the ending bell rang and Sage was pronounced the winner. He walked back over to his friends while the officials were setting up the next round. His friends all paid him good complements and talked during the break.

Cye decided to make another trip to the bathroom. He had been going quite frequently and was unknowing that his friends had noticed. He had to fight the crowd to get to the bathroom and wound up being at the back of the line. The line was only three people long, but he was in a hurry. Like most people who are in a hurry he hated waiting. A couple minutes passed and he was next for the bathroom. Someone came out but he decided to wait for a couple more people to exit so he could have more room.

When he was satisfied he entered the bathroom and only one other person was inside drying his hands with a paper towel. The man left and Cye cupped his hands under the water. He bent down and splashed it on his face. The cool water felt refreshing. What he wouldn't give for a cool shower right about now.

The door to the bathroom opened and Rowen walked in. "Hey, buddy. Are you alright?"

Cye, still bent over the sink, raised his head and look at him in the mirror and said, "Yeah. What makes you say that?"

"For starters you've gone to the bathroom three times in an hour. You looked really flushed; you're sweating by just sitting down when it's not even hot in there. Now I see you like this," Rowen stated.

"I was just washing my face off," Cye answered turning off the water and getting a paper towel.

"Stop lying Cye. We can all see that something is wrong. Now what is it?"

"It's nothing," Cye said. Rowen glared at him coldly and crossed his arms.

Cye caved in and confessed to Rowen. "Okay, if you really want to know I don't feel well."

"That's it?" Rowen asked shocked.

"Yeah," Cye chuckled a little.

"How long have you been feeling bad?"

"Since his morning, but it started out as a headache, but as the day went on I felt worse."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want to ruin everyone's evening. I know how much you all were looking forward to watching him compete," Cye continued.

Rowen sighed and nodded in understanding. "I still wish you would have told us."

"Please, don't tell Sage; at least not until after the tournament."

"Okay," Rowen agreed. "I won't tell him. I'll keep it from the others as long as I can, but if they ask I'll tell them."

"Okay."

The two of them exited the restroom and went back to their seats to watch the rest of the tournament.

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took so long to post. I had planned to post it during my Christmas vacation, but I kind of hit a dry spell and didn't get it posted. I decided to end my chapter here where I add some things in the next chapter as well as action. I also plan on skipping parts of the tournaments because I can only come up with so many ways to fight. If anyone has any suggestions on my fic please let me know. I need some ideas and I'd like to have more to do with the tournament instead of skipping to the main end. Thanks.

Reviews:

Tweeked-angel: I'm glad you decided to read my fic and I'm extremely glad you like it. I'll do my best to put the chapters up quicker.

Firestorm: Thanks for sticking with my story and thinking I portrayed the tournament well. I didn't think I did too well but I did my best. Thanks. I would love to tell you some things on Shimi, but I don't want to spoil any surprises….muahahaha. You'll know soon enough.

Yamuko27: Thanks for reviewing again and I hate that you computer got fried. (It's been a long while ago now, I imagine). Good luck with your fic. Even though I hate cliffhangers it is a good method to use to keep people reading and excited. So many other fics have got me hooked using cliffhangers.

RogueRonin: I didn't know you were in martial arts tournaments. That's cool. I'm glad that I could make you reminisce…lol. I'm glad you still enjoy my fic.